Monday, June 3, 2013

Girl faces perjury for false rape accusation

Implicating two youths in heinous crime like gang rape has boomeranged on a 20-year-old girl as a Delhi court not only allowed the accused to walk free but also ordered her prosecution for the offence of perjury.

The court, which said it cannot restore the “lost honour” of the accused, also noted, “It is very regrettable that a trend has set in nowadays where the investigating officers dance to the tunes of the girl complaining of rape, completely throwing to winds their duties and responsibilities.”

“This is a fit case where the prosecutrix (girl) deserves to be proceeded against for committing the offences punishable under section 193/196 (giving false evidence in a judicial proceeding) of the IPC,” additional sessions judge Virender Bhat said.

The court ordered that copy of its judgement be sent to Delhi Police commissioner and others so that efforts can be taken to “sensitise” and “train” police officers to conduct probe in such cases with “an open mind without treating the statement of the girl as gospel truth”.

Police had arrested Preetam Yadav and Manoj Kumar Yadav in November 2011 after the girl had complained that they had raped her.

During the trial, advocate Vikas Padora, appearing for Manoj, had said that at the time and date of the alleged incident, the accused, along with his family, was at a hotel in Gurgaon celebrating his daughter’s birthday.

The court acquitted the accused saying the girl has made a false complaint of rape as no such incident took place.